Evelyn A. Dratt
May 12, 1915 – August 15, 2021
A service to honor her life will be held at the funeral home on Monday, August 23, 2021, beginning at 12:00PM. The family will receive friends beginning at 11:00 AM. One hour prior to the service. Interment will take place at Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice, c/o the funeral home.
Obituary
Age 106, passed away on August 15, 2021, with family at her side. She was born in Kalamazoo on May 12, 1915, the daughter of the late Peter and Hermina (Buiskool) Zuidema. Evelyn lived through much of the history of the modern world and her recollection of those events remained fascinating to her family and friends. On July 15, 1936, she married the love of her life, Paul O. Dratt who preceded her in death in 1998; Evelyn would live another twenty-three years. She filled her days with joy and thanksgiving, always finding a way to make a difference for others. She had a gentle soul and kind heart. She loved spending time in her gardens growing flowers and vegetables. She was crafty and enjoyed working with ceramics and was an accomplished knitter. Evelyn was a loyal Detroit Tigers fan and cheered them through the ups and downs of the seasons. Above all she was devoted to her family and friends and leaves them with the legacy of a life well lived. Her warm smile and sense of humor will be missed by all who loved her. She is survived by a daughter-in-law, Sylvia Dratt; grandchildren, Phil (Michelle) Dratt, Heather (Scott) Davis; great-grandchildren, Daryn and Dayton Dratt, Peyton Davis, Joshua (Michelle) Dolby, Matthew (Lyndsey) Dolby; great-great-grandchildren, Wren and Violet Dolby, Caedon, Gracin and Harper Dolby; many nieces, nephews and friends. She was also preceded in passing by a son, Dale Dratt; granddaughter, Darcy Dolby; great-grandson, Dalton Dratt; three siblings, Ann, Hank and Bernie.
I cared for Evie at Ely Manor and we created a bond like no other. God truly knew we needed one another. After leaving Ely for another job opportunity, we stayed in contact and had visits. She definitely made an impact in my life and I will truly cherish the connection we made.
I met this lovely lady thru my friends Mark and Di some years ago. They lived across the street from each other. I travel to Michigan twice a year from New York and visiting Evelyn (Ms. Ev) was always a blessing and something I looked forward to. She was the sweetest lady and I truly enjoyed her conversation. Her knowledge of the Detroit Tigers was matched by none. And her smile lit up a room. She was my friend and was always happy to see me. Would tell me out of all of Mark and Dian’s friends, I was her favorite. I had gotten her an I ❤️ NY coffee cup and Ev would not allow anyone to touch it. Told them her friend from New York bought that for her. She was a delight to see and a pleasure to talk to. I will miss her and even more so when I travel back to Michigan again. But I will always smile for having the privilege to have known her. May she rest in eternal peace and thank you Ms. Ev for being my friend ❤️
I first met Evelyn as my moms neighbor. When we would come to see my mom she was always working in her beautiful garden and helped to teach my boys how to weed and what was a weed or flower. Later I was able to reconnect with her at Ely Manor. She loved her bingo and would always say to me come on Amber your calling the wrong number’s, that’s not the number I need. She would get so excited when you would call the number’s on her card and she got a Bingo. I loved her stories over the years and her love for the Detroit Tigers, she never missed a game. The day after her 105th birthday she was still glowing and shared with everyone the message she got from the announcer. Evelyn was such an amazing gentle soul and had so much to give and share with others. She will be greatly missed and impacted many lives.